The invention relates to a fuel tank having a surge chamber arranged in the bottom region, having a feed unit which sucks up fuel from the surge chamber, having a level sensor for detecting the fuel level in the fuel tank, and having a venting device which is arranged in the upper region of the fuel tank and is intended for venting the fuel tank during operation and/or when replenishing the fuel, the surge chamber, the feed unit and the level sensor being designed as a module which can be fitted outside the fuel tank and can be inserted into the fuel tank.
Fuel tanks of this type are frequently used in motor vehicles today and are known from practice. In this case, the fuel tank is manufactured as a single piece by blow molding or in a number of pieces by injection molding, and has an installation opening for the module. In the case of the fuel tank manufactured by injection molding, first of all at least two shell parts are manufactured and they are then welded to each other. The installation is carried out via assembling the module outside the fuel tank and inserting it through the installation opening into the fuel tank. The installation opening is subsequently closed with a closure cover.
One disadvantage of this is that the installation of the components in the fuel tank becomes very complicated as a result. Furthermore, support systems arranged in the tank are required for the fastening of the module and the venting device, said support systems taking up space in the fuel tank. This space is then no longer available to hold the fuel.
The invention is based on the problem of designing a fuel tank of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a manner that it has the greatest possible amount of space for holding fuel and can be fitted in as simple a manner as possible.